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cnbc.com
Fighter jet maker Saab smashes expectations as CEO urges procurement rethink
European governments ramp up defense spending and book orders with the region's companies.
theguardian.com
Global tech stocks fall as chip sell-off deepens; Burberry sales boosted by gen Z shoppers – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsAt least 13 big UK lenders have increased their mortgage rates this week, as a new wave of conflict in the Middle East feeds expectations of higher inflation and higher interest rates.Barclays, Nationwide Building Society and NatWest have all increased mortgage rates this week, according to the analyst Moneyfacts .It found that on average the market rate for a two-year new mortgage has risen by 4 basis points to 5.5%. The average for a five-year deal is also up by 4 basis points to 5.52%.While these increases may seem fairly modest in isolation, it is a reminder how quickly borrowing costs can move when markets become unsettled.The latest disruption to shipping in the straits of Hormuz has driven up investor expectations that inflation and interest rates will remain higher for longer, pushing up funding costs. This leaves lenders with little choice but to reprice products, even if the Bank of England hasn’t changed the Base Rate.But it just shows how much was baked into the price. SpaceX is a pretty good proxy for market sentiment right now, and it’s below the IPO price.I’m still not seeing any panic — people are buying gold and silver and those have been losing trades.Kevin Warsh and his comments and changing views towards what appears to be quite hawkish Fed policy started a cascading effect towards taking chips off the table.We started to get a lot more momentum in terms of the selling pressure, first off with the very high profile names like SK Hynix and Samsung, but from there it has kind of spread. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
China hits out at British Steel nationalisation
The UK government said taking the firm into public hands would safeguard "a vital national capability".
cnbc.com
Iran says civilian infrastructure hit by latest U.S. strikes, expands attacks to Syria, Bahrain
The escalating standoff comes as the fragile truce signed by the U.S. and Iran last month showed further signs of unravelling
theguardian.com
‘Brazen corruption’: critics denounce Trump Media plan to sell priority access to Truth Social posts
Move would allow Wall Street trading firms and other institutions to potentially profit from seeing president’s posts firstDonald Trump’s media company is planning to charge for special high-speed access to Truth Social posts, including possibly his own, affecting national security and financial markets.The move announced on Thursday would allow Wall Street trading firms and other institutions to get news from top Truth Social contributors in milliseconds so they could profit off subsequent moves in stocks, bonds and interest rates. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
BP, ConocoPhillips to back Iraq with major investments as U.S. seeks to weaken Iran's energy hold
BP and ConocoPhillips are set to announce billions of dollars of new investments in Iraq on Friday.
cnbc.com
SoftBank sinks over 9% as Asia chip stocks track Wall Street AI sell-off
The declines followed another weak session for U.S. technology stocks, with the Nasdaq Composite falling 1.47% as semiconductor shares came under renewed pressure.
cnbc.com
Oil prices rise as U.S.-Iran hostilities threaten supply through Strait of Hormuz
Oil prices rose Friday as investors weighed escalating threats between the U.S. and Iran.
bbc.co.uk
Trump Media to sell instant access to 'market-moving' social posts
Trump Media is launching a fast, paid feed to its most influential posts for Wall Street traders.
theguardian.com
‘I don’t think I’ll ever retire’: the workers struggling to save for old age
Almost half of working-age adults in the UK do not save into a pension. Four readers explain why they fear for the future“I am 35 and have essentially nothing saved for my future, which is a huge concern.” Sarah* works in library services in Oxford – full-time at one library and part-time at another. She has saved £5,000 into her pension.After finishing her PhD in 2020, she said she had “good intentions of contributing to pension schemes. But because I then had a succession of part-time jobs, I never started. I never thought, this is a job I’ll be doing for long enough.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
China ‘strongly dissatisfied’ with nationalisation of British Steel
Move dealt ‘severe blow to Chinese companies’ confidence in investing in the UK’, says Ministry of CommerceChina’s government has said it is “strongly dissatisfied” with the decision to nationalise British Steel this week, 15 months after the UK government stepped in to prevent the closure of its steelworks in Scunthorpe and the loss of 4,000 jobs.On Thursday, British Steel was brought under public ownership to protect “the future of steel production”, the government announced. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham’s difficult first cabinet – a visual guide to the options and dilemmas
The Makerfield MP enters No 10 as prime minister on Monday. But who will he choose to join him at the table?Keir Starmer is expected formally to resign as prime minister on Monday morning at Buckingham Palace, with Andy Burnham being invited to take on the role shortly afterwards. Once back in Downing Street mid-morning, Burnham will begin assembling his cabinet. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Seven & i shares end 3.6% higher on report of stake talks with Polish convenience chain Zabka
Shares of Seven & i Holdings Co. jumped after a report said the company was looking to buy a stake in Poland's Zabka Group.
bbc.co.uk
'Volunteering with food charity saved me from loneliness'
FoodCycle takes surplus food and turns it into three-course meals served to the community.
cnbc.com
Xi pitches China as AI partner to developing world, warns against risks and security overreach
China will provide developing countries with 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs, as well as develop AI cooperation with various blocs.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump lashes out at electoral system and China in fiery speech
President Trump is doubling down on his 2020 election rigging claims, alleged Chinese interference, and on access to information via a new API product.
theguardian.com
‘How’s this joker got my details?’: BrewDog founder faces complaints over emails to ‘equity punks’
Exclusive: Watchdog asked to look into how James Watt got data of ex-crowdfunders he invited to join buy-back bidJames Watt, the BrewDog founder who sold the debt-laden “punk” brewer earlier this year, is the subject of complaints to the UK’s data privacy watchdog linked to his surprise bid to buy the company back, the Guardian has learned.BrewDog’s brand, intellectual property, UK breweries and 11 bars were sold to the US cannabis and drinks firm Tilray in March for £33m, in a deal that rendered the shares of more than 200,000 crowdfunding investors worthless. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Homes to rent before buying in cities in England and Scotland – in pictures
From a flat on the ninth floor of a 34-floor skyscraper on Liverpool’s waterfront to a mid-terrace cottage in Norwich Continue reading...
theguardian.com
No deposit, no problem: the new 100% mortgages for first-time buyers
Banks and building societies have started relaxing affordability rules and becoming more creative with productsFor many first-time buyers, getting their foot on the property ladder can feel like an impossible dream. However, the good news is that there are a growing number of mortgage deals that require only a small deposit, or no deposit at all.Metro Bank is the latest high street lender to launch a deal that allows eligible first-timers to borrow up to 100% of the value of a property. Home loans that let people borrow 100% have been making a bit of a comeback – they were once fairly commonplace but were axed after the 2008 financial crisis. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
How do you split the bill with friends?
Hands down the worst part of going out for dinner.
theguardian.com
EU border chaos feared at Dover crossing as busiest summer weekend looms
British domestic holidays are being pushed to their highest levels since CovidThe start of the peak summer season is set to bring millions of drivers on to British roads, with concerns of traffic chaos as the port of Dover faces its biggest test yet of new EU border controls.The semi-functioning entry-exit system (EES) is credited, along with the heatwaves and fears about flights after the war in Iran, with helping push British domestic holidays to its highest levels since Covid halted international travel. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Burnham's 'Manchesterism' got him to No 10 - but will it work for the UK?
Economics editor Faisal Islam examines whether the north-west city can be a template for the entire country.
cnbc.com
World’s largest olive oil company says market has 'definitively' entered new phase
The update comes as analysts raise concerns about the prospect of global olive oil supplies swinging dramatically from one season to the next.
theguardian.com
Gina Rinehart’s estimated A$700m profit from SpaceX IPO wiped out as stock price dips
Analyst says mining billionaire unlikely to be worried by lost paper profits after Elon Musk’s company dipped below its debut share priceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGina Rinehart is among thousands of Australians who have lost money on Elon Musk’s SpaceX, as the tech company’s share price crashes back to earth.SpaceX shares closed below their debut price of US$135 a share during trading on Thursday, at $131.11. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘There’s this deep mystery of what, actually, is this thing?’: the philosopher inside Google DeepMind AI – podcast
Since 2017, Iason Gabriel has worked at the tech giant, trying to anticipate – and think through – the impact of AI. But as commercial and geopolitical pressures escalate, can ethicists make any difference?By Robert P Baird. Read by Simon DarwenRead the text version hereSupport the Guardian today: theguardian.com/longreadpod Continue reading...
cnbc.com
India's biggest IPO this year rakes in bids worth $31 billion, powered by institutional frenzy
The IPO of India's largest asset manager closed on Thursday, drawing keen interest from institutional investors.
cnbc.com
Trump doubles down on 2020 election claims in national address, alleging China meddling
Trump also repeated his calls for the Republican-led Congress to pass the "SAVE America Act," a controversial election bill that lacks support to pass.
cnbc.com
Trump suspends teleprompter operator over Kalshi bets allegations, White House says
Kalshi retained most of the profits, which were more than $90,000, from the trades made on public statements by President Trump.
cnbc.com
SpaceX aborts Starship test flight, sending stock lower
Elon Musk said it would make another attempt "hopefully in a few days." SpaceX completed the maiden test flight of its Starship V3 rocket in May.
cnbc.com
One of China's top investors says finance, not AI, is the country's biggest bottleneck
Finance would be China's weak point in a prolonged rivalry with the U.S. which has the world's deepest capital market, says Primavera Capital founder Fred Hu.
bbc.co.uk
The financial winners and losers from the World Cup
Big bucks are being made from the 2026 tournament off the field, but who is raking in the most?
bbc.co.uk
I wouldn't marry him until he paid off his debt, now I'm in charge of our money
Sarah and her husband have shared one account for 25 years, but she says managing it falls to her.
cnbc.com
Has Nike lost its 'cool' factor? LeBron James weighs in
Nike's stock has slumped as the sportswear giant faces new competitors and waning influence. LeBron James has some advice on how to regain its 'cool' factor.
theguardian.com
Thousands of Google workers demand layoff protections amid AI boom in petition to CEO
The petition to Sundar Pichai, the CEO, included more than 4,500 signatures and included calls for buyout optionsGoogle workers on Thursday delivered a petition calling for layoff protections as tech giants continue to slash their workforces while pouring billions into AI.“Make no mistake: this is a company that is enjoying massive, unprecedented success,” Parul Koul, Google software engineer and Alphabet Workers Union president, said outside the company’s California headquarters after delivering the petition to the office of the CEO, Sundar Pichai’. Koul pointed to Google’s $4tn valuation, which has quadrupled over the last six years: “These layoffs and cuts are not difficult decisions, but simply profit being put over the people that make this company run.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Netflix stock falls as earnings forecast disappoints, company says it will give fewer engagement updates
The streaming giant said it would cut back on the frequency of its "What We Watched" reports, which provide a picture of engagement.
theguardian.com
Kalshi to offer betting on drug trial results and FDA regulatory decisions
Move comes as prediction platforms rapidly gain popularity and offer opportunities to bet on virtually anythingKalshi is expanding its wagers to include bets on drug trial results, an expansion into new predictions territory as platforms continue to rapidly gain popularity and offer opportunities to bet on virtually anything.The betting platform said the expansion into clinical trials and FDA regulatory decisions would help surface information on drug trials that otherwise go unreported. A publicly listed contract on a drug trial would produce a “continuously updated, public probability that reflects the weight of the evidence, rather than the preferred message of the trial sponsor”, the company said. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Here's why the housing market is hurting so much this summer
Mortgage rates are high, home prices at record levels, and consumers stressed — all contributing to a drop in existing home sales and builder sentiment.
cnbc.com
Oil pipelines around the Strait of Hormuz won't end the threat Iran poses to Middle East crude exports
Oil producers are building or contemplating new pipeline projects to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, but this infrastructure is still vulnerable, analysts said.
cnbc.com
Alphabet shares fall on report its most powerful AI model Gemini 3.5 Pro is delayed
Alphabet announced the Gemini 3.5 Pro AI in May, saying it was being used internally but wouldn't be ready for a broader rollout until the following month.
theguardian.com
Energy drinks to be banned from sale to under-16s in England
About 100,000 children across the country drink the high-caffeine beverages dailyHigh-caffeine energy drinks “have no place in children’s hands” and will be banned from sale to under-16s in England from April next year under new laws designed to improve health outcomes in young people.About 100,000 children across the country currently drink high-caffeine energy drinks daily, with those in more deprived areas and households more likely to consume them, according to the government. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
White House teleprompter operator accused of making $100k from Trump speech bets
A White House staffer has been accused of using inside knowledge of speeches to make nearly $100,000 on Kalshi.
theguardian.com
Vodafone settles legal claim brought by 62 former franchisees
Agreement, without admission of liability, ends 19-month high court dispute that small-business owners said left them with large debtsVodafone has settled a long-running legal claim filed by 62 of its former franchisees who alleged the mobile phone group “unjustly enriched” itself at their expense by up to £85m.The small-business owners – some of whom said they had suffered suicidal thoughts because of the pressure exerted by the telecoms group – launched the high court claim in 2024 after running up large personal debts they said had been caused by their deals with the company. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Bizarre choice’: business and Labour puzzle over Shabana Mahmood as future chancellor
The home secretary, favourite to take over at No 11, has minimal economic credentials and many MPs would prefer Ed MilibandAndy Burnham last month promised the UK he would bring “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart” when he is installed as prime minister. Britain’s industry leaders also have a hope in their hearts: that Burnham will install a pro-business chancellor.The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, was for several weeks seen as the most likely candidate to succeed Rachel Reeves but, after a brutal briefing battle and a backlash from big business, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, appears to have emerged as the frontrunner. Now businesses are scrambling to try to work out how she might run the economy if confirmed in the Treasury on Monday. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Calls for government taskforce to tackle poverty
Charities, schools and businesses warn too many families are struggling with the cost of living.
bbc.co.uk
Investigation into parking tickets for drivers queuing at petrol stations
It's part of a wider crackdown from the consumer regulator into potentially unfair practices by private parking operators.
theguardian.com
A priority for the next chancellor: boost the London stock market
Politicians need to see there’s something worth boosting. The current hollowing-out is not healthyAnother day, another takeover bid for a UK-listed company. In fact, Thursday saw three in one gulp. Bath-based Rotork, which makes safety valves for pipelines, is falling to Swiss group ABB for £4.1bn. Gooch & Housego, a specialist in precision optics for aerospace and defence, is being bought by a US investment firm for £346m. And Ramsdens, a financial services and pawnbroker firm, is also being taken over from the US for £230m.Individually, the deals represent splendid one-day news for the firms’ shareholders since the premiums on the pre-action share prices are 73%, 41% and 49%. Collectively, however, they are yet another depressing chapter in the tale of London’s incredible shrinking stock market. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Thinktanks should rethink their funding models | Letters
Hylton Guthrie says the UK has a problem with opaque political funding, while Andy McWilliam wonders if the closure of the High Pay Centre presents Andy Burnham with an opportunityPolly Toynbee laments the decline in funding of various (mostly centre-left) thinktanks because the Aberdeen Group terminated its Financial Fairness Trust (This thinktank exposed fat cats and obscenely high pay. Guess what has happened to it?, 10 July). I suggest that the financial vulnerability of thinktanks being dependent on the largesse of profit-driven financial businesses like the Aberdeen Group is a weakness of their funding model. A point which is obvious without even considering the morals of Alistair Darling founding such a trust based on a demutualisation, which just underlines the tokenism at the heart of such a model of funding.In contrast, in Germany, the state funding of political parties is accompanied by state funding for party political foundations – each party has its own foundation funded on the basis of the size of its vote share. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
As prediction markets boom, questions arise over who will be the watchdog
As new contract types are introduced, prediction markets may have to work under two regulatory bodies.
theguardian.com
Trump made $1.4bn from crypto in one year. Is Justin Sun the man who helped him do it?
The entrepreneur is known in Washington as the financial power behind the president’s crypto fortune. How did Sun’s business love-in with the Trump family spiral into dueling lawsuits?The most infamous financial scandal in US presidential history – the 1920s Teapot Dome affair – involved then president Warren G Harding’s interior secretary, Albert Fall, taking roughly $400,000 in bribes. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about $6m today. Last year, Donald Trump made at least $2.2bn; his single year of income is on the order of 200 to 300 times larger than the bribe that defined “presidential corruption” in the American imagination for a century.It’s taken for granted that Trump flogs items like Bibles and gold sneakers as a way to wring more money from his loyal base. But of the president’s $2.2bn, at least $1.4bn came from his crypto businesses. That’s an extraordinary achievement, even for an unscrupulous sitting president. How exactly did he do it without any prior background in crypto? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia unveils new AI model and expands Japan’s physical AI ecosystem
Nvidia announces new AI model, Cosmos 3 Edge, and expansion of its physical AI ecosystems in Japan.
theguardian.com
UK aid cuts ‘reduce bilateral support to some African countries by 90%’
Critics say Foreign Office figures send ‘global message about the role the country wants to play on international stage’Labour’s foreign aid cuts mean reductions of as much as 90% in the bilateral support the UK will give to some African countries, Foreign Office figures show.The department’s annual report includes a long-awaited breakdown of how the reduction in the aid budget will affect individual countries for the next three years. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Eli Lilly to buy psychedelics maker AtaiBeckley for $2.8 billion as experimental treatments gain traction
The deal for AtaiBeckley gives Lilly access to experimental drugs based on DMT and MDMA.
cnbc.com
Alibaba and Baidu shares jump in Hong Kong on Apple AI partnership
The technological rivalry between China and the U.S. has intensified, as they race for AI dominance.
theguardian.com
How green is Andy Burnham? Britain’s next PM faces tough climate decisions
Heatwaves, high energy prices, calls for reindustrialisation and North Sea drilling are all high on the to-do listWildfires cast a pall of smoke this week over Greater Manchester, whose former mayor Andy Burnham stands on the threshold of No 10. Amid three UK heatwaves so far this year, which have killed thousands of people in England and Wales, damaged harvests and left children crying in classrooms, the new prime minister’s plans for the climate crisis remain as shrouded as his city.“Burnham has been very quiet about the climate [crisis] so far,” says Chris Venables, an environmental campaigner and fellow at the Green Alliance thinktank. “I don’t think [it] is at the forefront of his mind, but that does not mean he will water down this agenda.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Mahmood v Miliband: who will Burnham choose for chancellor? – podcast
Andy Burnham will become prime minister of the UK on Monday. But he has yet to reveal any cabinet picks, and rumours suggest he still hasn’t chosen a chancellor. What do we actually know about his plans for governing? Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey chat about the new PM’s options and the likely issues on the top of his in-trayYou can read Dan Boffey’s profile of Andy Burnham herePlease keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran at politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.comYou can watch Pippa’s interview with Volodymyr Zelensky on our Politics Weekly YouTube channel here Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia-backed Fireworks hits $17.5 billion valuation as companies pursue cheaper AI models
Fireworks once relied heavily on revenue from coding startup Cursor, but has diversified in the past year as more companies reach for lower-cost AI models.
bbc.co.uk
British Steel taken into public ownership to protect 'vital' UK supply
The Scunthorpe steelworks has been officially nationalised under new government powers passed this week.
bbc.co.uk
Aer Lingus proposes cutting 500 jobs under savings plan
The company proposes cutting 290 roles in its head office, along with 140 cabin roles and 70 pilots.
bbc.co.uk
TikTok faces Ofcom investigation over child age checks
It follows a review by the regulator in May that criticised the platform for not being "safe enough" for children.
cnbc.com
Wall Street's profit boom has Europe ripping up its banking rulebook
A major overhaul of Europe's banking rules could provide a boost to the continent's banking sector.
bbc.co.uk
Chip giant TSMC pledges another $100bn to expand US production
The company says it will create "high-tech, high-paying jobs", and raises its total commitment to the US to $265bn.
bbc.co.uk
Who is the frontrunner to be the UK's next chancellor?
Andy Burnham will be moving into Downing Street next week, and a question remains over who will be his neighbour in Number 11.
theguardian.com
Uber to buy Germany’s Delivery Hero in $14.8bn global deal
Agreement combines Uber Eats with food delivery brands in 99 countries and expands taxi service reachBusiness live – latest updatesUber has reached an agreement to take over the German takeaway company Delivery Hero in a $14.8bn (£11bn, or €12.9bn) deal that would create a global food delivery giant.The US tech firm said it had offered to pay €41.50 a share to Delivery Hero’s shareholders, valuing the business at $14.8bn. Uber will pay $13.7bn after accounting for its previous purchases of a quarter of Delivery Hero’s shares, most recently in May. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Ukrainians take to the streets after Zelenskyy ousts defense minister in surprise shake-up
Ukrainian protesters took to the streets of Kyiv on Thursday, decrying Zelenskyy's surprise decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
cnbc.com
Catching up in the AI race? India gets its second AI unicorn in a month
Two Indian AI startups have become unicorns in a month, which has raised hopes that the country could shed its reputation as an AI laggard.
theguardian.com
The secret lives of flight attendants: ‘British passengers always drink like they’ve never drunk before’
Lewd propositions, drunken tirades, groping, grumbling and grubby behaviour – cabin crew have to experience it all, at altitude. They open up about the horrors they’ve seen from passengers and colleaguesLast week, right at the start of this year’s holiday season, a 30-year-old drunk British holidaymaker tried to kiss a male flight attendant on a plane, spent a week in Mallorca presumably thinking his actions were consequence-free, and was then arrested on his way back through Palma airport. In February, Jet2 banned two passengers from the airline for life after a mid-air brawl on a flight from Turkey to Manchester, and last week BA had to cancel a flight back from Barbados, because (some) members of the crew were still too drunk from the hotel bar to operate it. There’s a connection between these incidents, and it’s not just as flight attendant Thomas, 27, puts it: “Well, drunk Brits – you know how that goes”.The term “air rage” was coined in the 90s, but the behaviour it describes went through the roof post-Covid. In 2021, the number of reported incidents in the US was greater than in the previous three decades combined. A new category of misdemeanour had appeared – mask non-compliance. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
UK economy returns to growth in May
The modest growth reverses a slight contraction that had been seen the previous month.
cnbc.com
TSMC to invest additional $100 billion in Arizona after second-quarter profit soars 77%
TSMC announced a second-quarter profit, following its June revenue figures released earlier this week.
cnbc.com
Foreign investors sweeten on Indian government bonds as equities see a sell-off
The Indian government bond market is drawing interest from foreign investors as it readies for a likely inclusion in Bloomberg index.
theguardian.com
Burnham must learn from Starmer’s mistakes: Labour was elected to transform the economy, not just stabilise it | Jonathan Portes
Devolution, tax, the EU and immigration: these are all opportunities for growth if Burnham abandons the excessive caution of the past few yearsThe economic inheritance Andy Burnham will receive from Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves is not, in any meaningful way, a crisis. That is worth saying, because the comparison is not with some imagined social-democratic Eden. It is with the Britain Labour inherited after austerity, Brexit, the inflation shock and the Truss episode – a country in which economic policy had too often alternated between drift, denial and irresponsibility. Restoring seriousness to fiscal and macroeconomic management is an achievement, and not one economists should dismiss.But it is also a limited achievement. Labour was not elected simply to demonstrate that it could avoid blowing up the gilt market, or so that ministers could once again speak in complete sentences about public finances. The question is whether Starmer and Reeves changed the trajectory of an economy that has, for more than a decade and a half, been characterised by weak productivity growth, falling relative living standards, deteriorating public services, excessive centralisation and a damaging loss of openness. On that test, the answer is less comfortable.Jonathan Portes is professor of economics and public policy at King’s College London and a former senior civil servant Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Celebrity influencers paid up to £1m to advertise deodorant on Instagram
The chief executive of Wild reveals what happens behind the scenes of social media posts.
theguardian.com
Why did Ryanair-Air Malta plane window blow out mid-air and could it happen again?
Passenger Ljubisa Karović was nearly sucked out of his seat when Boeing 737-800’s window blew out on flight from GreeceFor nervous flyers, it sounds like the stuff of nightmares; for most, only contemplated in an action movie. But last week, a passenger really was nearly sucked out through a broken aircraft window mid-flight.Ljubisa Karović was on a Ryanair-Air Malta flight leaving Thessaloniki in Greece when the adjacent window blew out of the Boeing 737-800, pulling his head and shoulders out of the plane. His wife and fellow passengers helped to keep him inside. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It’s like home’: Brixton market traders fight to stop site being sold to big business
Campaign hopes to buy site for community, fearing it could go same route of corporate gentrification as Camden and Old SpitalfieldsTraders at Brixton market say they are in a battle of “people over profit” after submitting a last-minute plan to stop the site being bought by a private equity firm which they fear could price out longstanding independent businesses.Those behind the Buy Back Brixton campaign said they are through to the second stage of a bidding process, competing against multinational companies to buy Brixton Village and Market Row for community ownership. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Revealed: Bucharest tourists hiring rentals that could collapse in an earthquake
Exclusive: More than 200 illegal holiday properties found in buildings at the highest level of seismic riskTourists in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, are staying in illegal accommodation listed on Airbnb and Booking.com in buildings considered so seismically vulnerable they could collapse in the event of a major earthquake, according to exclusive data shared with the Guardian.Analysis of data collected by Re:Rise, a Romanian organisation working on seismic risk reduction, identified at least 207 illegal tourist rental properties advertised across the two platforms in Bucharest at the end of May, with a combined capacity to host more than 1,000 visitors each night. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Andy Burnham I know – podcast
Today in Focus hears from friends, colleagues and mentors of Andy Burnham to find out more about the man soon to be prime ministerOn Monday, Andy Burnham will become the UK prime minister.The former Greater Manchester mayor has faced neither a general election nor a Labour leadership contest to get there, leaving many to wonder: who is he and what does he stand for? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Will the new AI roadmap keep the tech giants in line? | Fiona Katauskas
Or will they forge a path of their own?See more of Fiona Katauskas’s cartoons here Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Buffett calls Bill Gates relationship with Epstein 'distasteful'
The billionaire investor's firm has stopped giving donations to the Microsoft co-founder's charity.
bbc.co.uk
Salary information to be shown on job ads under new laws
The government argues the move would help jobseekers and could reduce pay discrimination claims.
bbc.co.uk
SpaceX share price drops below stock market debut
Share trading in Elon Musk’s rocket company has been volatile since it went public a month ago.
theguardian.com
A victory for Nationwide’s board – but members still deserve stronger voting rights | Nils Pratley
Building society rules need an overhaul if ballots on executive pay are non-binding and huge takeovers don’t require approval In the end, the rebellion at Nationwide, the country’s biggest building society, was modest. James Sherwin-Smith, who was trying to become the first member-nominated director in almost 25 years, secured only 12% of votes cast – enough to count as unusual but a long way short of causing embarrassment for the board. Meanwhile, the society got its usual 95%-plus majorities on every other resolution, including the advisory one on directors’ pay.There are two ways the directors could react to this result. The first is to conclude that everything is tickety-boo at the UK’s most important mutual. The society’s financial performance is undeniably strong, after all, and the scores for customer satisfaction remain streets ahead of those of the shareholder-owned banks. In operational terms, a lot is going right at Nationwide. That helps to explain why the members are not clamouring to register dissatisfaction, or, indeed, to register much at all: only about 600,000 out of 19 million voted at the annual meeting. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Burnham faces crucial choice for chancellor as battle for No 11 continues
Whoever Burnham appoints to the key role will send a signal of his intent, writes Iain Watson.
bbc.co.uk
British Steel nationalisation takes step closer
The new legislation would see Scunthorpe-based British Steel brought into public ownership.
bbc.co.uk
EasyJet passengers stuck on tarmac for hours when plane couldn't refuel
One passenger said she only got home at 06:00 after being stuck on the runway in the middle of the night.
bbc.co.uk
Brewdog co-founder James Watt launches bid to buy back beer firm
Watt says he has made an offer to buy back the craft beer business months after it was sold to a US company.
bbc.co.uk
Money Box
New regulations start for shoppers using Buy Now, Pay Later.
bbc.co.uk
Cash-strapped Thames Water poses big test for Burnham
Despite returning to profit after hiking bills 40%, the deeply troubled company is far from out of the woods.
bbc.co.uk
Midnight social media curfew proposed for UK teens aged 16 and 17
The government says it will improve teenagers' lives but campaigners call it a "missed opportunity".
bbc.co.uk
Don't panic - five ways to stop your kids' endless scrolling
Parenting experts share their tips on how to keep children's screen time under control.
theguardian.com
‘Please don’t lose another pound!’: Ozempic is upending the wedding dress industry
The ubiquity of GLP-1s is wreaking new havoc on bridal designers who must scramble to accommodate rapid weight lossIn bridal stores across the world, solicitous sales assistants are being trained to ask a new, blunt question: “Are you planning on losing a drastic amount of weight?”Wedding season’s new disruptor is semaglutide, now used by 10% of engaged couples, according to a survey by the wedding planning platform Zola. In the same survey, 42% of couples said the ubiquity of GLP-1s has made them feel they should “look a certain way” for their wedding. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Some advice for Andy Burnham? Crack down on ‘rip-off Britain’ – and make sure voters feel the benefits | Jason Okundaye
Fining errant corporations is welcome – but when consumers are also getting shaken down on their local high street, it’s time for a new and boisterous approachIt’s a story that warms the heart and lifts the soul: last week, Virgin Media was fined a record £28m by Ofcom for repeatedly preventing customers from cancelling their contracts. Its methods were insidious: deliberate call-dropping, unnecessary call transfers and constantly putting customers on hold. For anyone who has experienced the mental anguish of attempting to cancel a contract or subscription, only to be met with “cancellation friction”, their comeuppance conjures a feeling of economic justice.“Rip-off Britain” has long been a popular narrative about our country, and feels ever more prescient in a time of stagnant living standards and cost of living pressures. Whether it’s extortionate energy and water bills, food prices, subscription traps, consumer scams, defective goods, unfair fines or hidden charges, it’s impossible to escape the feeling that you are being constantly shaken down. It’s an issue that unites us in frustration: little wonder that the money-saving expert Martin Lewis is the most trusted man in Britain. Reassuring people you’ll help protect their hard-earned money is one of the most surefire ways to make them feel you are on their side.Jason Okundaye is a Guardian Opinion assistant editor Continue reading...
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What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
We look at the different circumstances that affect you if you're due a refund for cancelled or delayed flights.
bbc.co.uk
How will Buy Now Pay Later changes affect you?
Consumers should be better protected as Buy Now Pay Later lenders now require authorisation to operate.
cnbc.com
Why Europe is suddenly betting big on drones
Drones and autonomous systems are moving from niche battlefield tools to a core part of modern warfare.
theguardian.com
Heating oil customers to get up to £350 compensation for cancelled orders
Watchdog says about 1,700 people were affected during a price surge triggered by the Middle East crisisHeating oil customers whose deliveries were cancelled when the war in the Middle East caused a price surge are to receive compensation of up to £350 each following an investigation by the UK competition watchdog.As the crisis unfolded, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was investigating heating oil suppliers after complaints that existing orders were being scrapped, with customers offered new deliveries at a significantly higher price. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The scary rise of locksmith scams: ‘I was shut out with my baby – and charged £2,200 to get back in’
In the UK, these scams have become an epidemic, rising 147% between January and March, compared with the same time last year. Why are they suddenly so common? And what can you do if you’re charged thousands for a quick, easy job?Sarah was alone in her flat with her three-month-old baby when a man put a card machine in her face and demanded she pay £2,209. A few hours earlier Sarah, 30, had been for a walk with her daughter when it dawned on her that she had left her keys at home. She did what most people would do in the same situation: search Google for a nearby locksmith. “I had a screaming baby, so I needed someone to quickly let me in,” she says.Sarah came across a seemingly legitimate company, near the top of the search results, which was sponsored. The company’s website said prices started at £45 and claimed they had received “4,500-plus five-star reviews and counting”, so she called them. When the locksmith arrived, Sarah says, he “seemed pleasant and relatively quiet” at first. After examining her lock, however, he told her it was a high-security one and the only way to get inside was to drill it open. He broke his way in and changed the lock before delivering another blow: he had accidentally damaged the internal mechanism, which also needed replacing. After Sarah got inside and placed her baby on a changing mat, the locksmith told her the price: £2,209. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
I changed jobs 10 times in 10 years to get the career I wanted
The lily-padding trend sees young people repeatedly move jobs to try to advance in the workplace.
bbc.co.uk
Heating oil customers to get compensation after price hikes
The cost of heating oil spiked following the US-Israel war with Iran which forced up crude prices.
theguardian.com
Cincinnati has a $1.9bn infrastructure fund – why can’t it spend it to fix its housing crisis?
Money from rail selloff could help solve Ohio city’s most pressing problems but political mistrust dictates how profits can be usedCincinnati, Ohio’s City of Seven Hills, has been drawing residents in from its suburbs – and, increasingly, other large cities – for years now. The only flat thing in sight is the housing supply.“Our city’s growing,” Aftab Pureval, Cincinnati’s mayor, said in an interview. “For the first time in a generation, our population is growing.” Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Woman's Hour
We hear about a new study exploring the impact hormones have on women with ADHD.
theguardian.com
EasyJet Holidays’ ‘spa’ resort was lacking an on-site spa or gym
We booked the £1,070-a-week retreat because of the facilities, but when we got there they were a round-trip awayLast month’s tale of a winter break spoiled because easyJet Holidays had neglected to state that the hotel’s heated pool and spa incurred hefty charges was discordant music to another reader’s ears. He writes:We returned last month from an easyJet Holidays break at a “wellness retreat” with prominently advertised spa facilities, which turned out not to have any spa facilities whatsoever. We had booked a £1,070 week at the Vasia Sea Retreat in Sissi, Crete, because I wanted access to a gym at least twice a day as rehabilitation from a serious knee injury, and my wife was keen for pool and pilates classes. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Who is ‘stealing’ Bali’s water? How tourism siphoned off a prized resource
Along with the rice fields, a centuries-old infrastructure that treated water as a gift to be shared is disappearing I Putu Partayasa pushes his fingers into the soil as he squats at the edge of a rice terrace. They come up dry. His field has water; his neighbour’s does not. “We have a big problem in the dry season,” he says. “Fifteen years ago, we have water every day. But today it’s getting less.”The 52-year-old, who goes by the name Parta, is lucky because his plot sits high enough in the irrigation system so that he still gets his share of water. He fears he knows where the rest is going. “Companies take our water,” he says, “and bring it to the tourism places.” He gestures at the terraces below, a patchwork of green and brown that was once all green. “The forest is getting smaller. The springs are drying.” Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Is tracking your food purchases good for your health?
Food tracking apps are popular, but are they a good way to make us eat a healthier diet?
theguardian.com
China’s graduate glut: millions enter a job market with little use for them
Record numbers find there is little demand for their skills, as entry-level tech roles are hit by AI and automationThis time of year is graduation season in China: traditionally a bittersweet period of solemn goodbyes and family celebrations as university students transition from campus life into adulthood. Now it also increasingly represents trepidation about the future.Each year, millions more graduates are thrust into China’s already saturated jobs market. The situation for this year’s cohort, flooding into an increasingly crowded pool of applicants fighting for an insufficient number of positions, is arguably the bleakest yet. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
New era for Gibraltar with removal of 118-year-old border controls with Spain
It is hoped that free movement between the UK territory and Spain will provide an economic boost.
theguardian.com
‘This was a righteous case. A holy war’: the lawyer who took on Meta and Google – and won
When Mark Lanier and his young client Kaley faced the tech giants in an LA courtroom earlier this year, it seemed a bigger battle than David v Goliath. But they scored a landmark victory, proving that the social media giants had created ‘addiction machines’ that harmed mental health. How did they pull it off?When Mark Zuckerberg walked into a Los Angeles courtroom on 18 February flanked by an entourage bedecked in Meta Ray-Bans, some people laughed. If this was an attempt at product placement for the company’s newest range of smart glasses, it was jarringly ill-judged: Zuckerberg was about to testify before a jury in a landmark lawsuit that sought to prove that Instagram and YouTube are addictive by design, and he had passed a throng of bereaved parents on his way into the courthouse. But the prosecution team, led by Mark Lanier, were not laughing.This was a serious trial. For the first time, the most powerful names in social media were being held to account for the inherent design of their platforms, rather than the content hosted on them. They were accused of deliberately and maliciously building products that keep children hooked, with disastrous consequences for the mental wellbeing of young people. It was a landmark case – a big tobacco moment for big tech. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Should you be switching bank accounts?
Martin Lewis covers whether you should be switching bank accounts.
bbc.co.uk
Wealthy AI workers send San Francisco house prices soaring
The median cost of a home in the city is now $1.7m, a record high, according to the latest figures.
bbc.co.uk
How to find lost bank accounts
How to find lost bank accounts
bbc.co.uk
Robots available for rent: But what can they do?
Robotics tech is changing fast, so for many it makes sense to rent a robot.
bbc.co.uk
AI is 'not smart' so what's next in artificial intelligence?
Leading AI researcher Yan LeCun has a start-up which is developing a more flexible AI system.
bbc.co.uk
Why is crucial tech vulnerable to the heat?
Energy grids and train services are among the vital services that are vulnerable to very hot weather.
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The legal fight to get equal pay for Germany's disabled workers
A test case is seeking the minimum wage for 300,000 disabled people who currently get paid less.
bbc.co.uk
Do you know your 'sweat score'? The rise of hydration tech
Hydration tracking gadgets are flooding the market but is it too much information?
bbc.co.uk
Is Germany looking again at coal-powered electricity?
It had planned to abandon the fuel, but the higher cost of natural gas may make it think again.
bbc.co.uk
The artificial ice pyramids saving India's mountain villages
Himalayan villages are creating artificial glaciers to guarantee water for their crops in the spring.
bbc.co.uk
'We had to get out of the way': The backlash over delivery robots
As the delivery vehicles increasing take to US streets, bans and protest groups are springing up.
bbc.co.uk
What is Helium-3 and could we get it from the moon?
Helium-3 is expensive and demand is forecast to soar, so some are planning to mine it on the moon.
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
bbc.co.uk
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
bbc.co.uk
The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
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